General getting started

[James Good]

This not at all clear,, are you trying to boot emmc or SD, do you have some boot at all?
Some generalities
1) check that what you are  typing is what you are getting, type password in 1st field
Don't hit enter, backspace it away, also check root password
2) if you remember root password, that is the easiest. root can change any password,,
passwd $USER  and follow prompts
3) the nuclear option, blank password by editing etc/shadow (on right device)
field separators are ":" (colon),, make 2nd field blank (ordinarily 40-60 chars, hashed password)
as so,,,,,root::more fields OR $USER::more fields

Actually, there are at least two problems I am having with the laptop that you have mentioned: eMMC and the passwords (both root and user).  When I ordered the PBP, it came standard with 64GB of eMMC installed but with a 128 eMMC module available as an option.  I ordered that option, but have not yet installed that module.  The passwords are a more pressing issue for me.  Simply because I am not able to get to a terminal screen on the laptop to make the changes you suggest.  At one time in the past, I thought there had been a key or key combination that could be pressed at power on that would bypass the login screen and restart the initial 'first boot' sequence where you (the user) would set the time zone information, the keyboard layout, the desired language, then the username and the user password.  The original password, if memory is correct, was 'root' but even that does not help getting into the laptop.  Thank you for the suggestions here.  I will print them for future help if needed again.
James Good

 I thought there had been a key or key combination that could be pressed at power 

Do U mean the TTY? Doesn't look like this was already responded to but maybe? This might not be what U mean as there is no setup guide here just a terminal, and U need to know U're PW to login here too. U can get there with meta (Pine key) + f1 (or f2,f3,f4...) just in case this what U meant.

When I first booted my PBP it went through the setup sequence which is different from this. I don't know how to get back to that setup sequence, which I prob what U are actually asking about.

This past week I attempted to power the PBP on and try to get it working.  A few days earlier, it did power up to a splash screen but not to either the setup screen or to a normal desktop screen.  Since that time, the PBP would only display a black screen when powered on.  The power LED would be steady green, but nothing would be displayed on the screen.  Even after several minutes of waiting.  I will try the [Pine+f1, or f2, f3, f4,...] to see if the PBP would get into the setup mode.
Thank you.
James Good